The Redemption Of A Villainess

Christine's Point of View

The night breeze was harsh and heavy, almost commanding me to finish what I had started.

It was all a matter of jumping.

I stared down at the drop awaiting me. The cliff loomed high, leading straight into the sea-and perhaps onto some jagged rocks hidden by the darkness of the night. I wouldn't know for sure until I was down there.

Even so, I took a moment to breathe deeply and question exactly when everything had started to go wrong. Was it when I lost my wolf? Or when my own family turned their backs on me? No. It was much earlier than that. Perhaps even before I was born, when fate decided to turn its back on me, never sparing a second glance my way, no matter what became of me.

Would anyone even miss me? I already knew the answer to that question. I had been a monster, blinded by my own pride, and I ended up earning everyone's hatred. This was my karma. Even so, a small glimmer of hope lingered within me-that I would be remembered, and maybe, just maybe, they would even mourn my death.

The sound of approaching footsteps and deep howls drew closer, cutting my brief flashbacks. There was no point to them anymore; this was all that was left... Me here, with And I jumped.

Draco's Point of View

I had almost reached her; she had nowhere left to run. I closed in on her with a fast speed, stretching my sharp claws to plunge them into her neck.

Strangely, she made no move to defend herself. She looked at me as I approached. Even from a distance, I could detect the deep melancholy in her expression. She looked tired... defeated.

For a moment, without slowing down, I questioned if this was the right thing to do. After all, she was just a young girl who didn't even have her wolf anymore. I didn't understand my Alpha's purpose in sending so many wolves after the person who was once his fiancée, but these were direct orders, and I would never disappoint him.

I let out a howl, ready to strike, when suddenly she opened her arms and, without hesitation, threw herself backward into the empty abyss of the cliff.

I rushed to the edge. Nothing. There was nothing left of her; the sea had claimed her. I looked back at the wolves approaching behind me and sent an order through our pack link:

-Fall back. Christine is dead.-

Christine's Point of View

The big moment was coming up. All the wolves in the pack felt restless during this time of year.

The Moon Goddess's energy grew stronger with each passing day, and the night when she blessed the new generations was approaching by leaps and bounds.

It was the only time when the packs cast aside their pride and gathered to make preparations for the coming-of-age ritual.

My parents were overflowing with exaggerated joy these days; after all, their only daughter was to participate in the ritual.

-Oh, Rhis, you must try this on. -My mother kept handing me dress after dress, each one carrying a delicate, luxurious touch that very few families could afford.

And me? I couldn't help but pose and try on everything there was while looking at myself in the mirror. Fated mates and lunar ceremonies were secondary to me-after all, I already had a promised future.

Even so, I couldn't help but enjoy looking beautiful, being the envy of every woman and the desire of every man.

The shop assistant appeared with a new batch, and one of them immediately caught my eye.

-Mother, what do you think of this one? -I grabbed a vintage red dress. It had a gorgeous neckline-not too revealing, but perfectly designed to do justice to my beautiful body.

-I am so sorry! That one is already reserved. It must have gotten mixed up when I grabbed the other dresses. -The employee rushed to take the dress from my hands, earning a glare of pure hatred from me.

Naturally, I didn't let go. -Then I will pay double. -I said, my voice commanding and arrogant.

The assistant turned pale. -I... I'm sorry, but it's a custom order for someone very important. I cannot make an exception.

I was about to snap back, -So am I. -but my mother cut in.

-Sweetheart... maybe that dress isn't such a good idea anyway. Besides, you should wear white for a ceremony like this. -She waved her hand at the assistant to dismiss her, and the girl practically fled.

I turned my angry gaze toward my mother, who spoke in her usual calm, patient voice.

-Rhis, don't argue over things like this. Any dress looks beautiful on you; you don't need to wear something so vulgar.

I frowned. Just what I needed-my mother thinking I looked cheap. I opened my mouth to argue, but once again, I was interrupted.

Cedric Valkan. My Alpha.

My expression changed instantly. -Ced!- I beamed, stepping forward to wrap my arms around him.

His usually tense, hard jaw relaxed immediately. He gave me a small, affectionate smile. -Sorry I'm late, Rhis.

Cedric's Point of View

Feeling Christine's arms around my shoulders was one of the best sensations in the world, making me forget for a brief moment that we were still standing in a clothing store.

I glanced at her lips. She noticed and flashed one of those playful, flirtatious smiles I loved so much, tempting me to kiss her right then and there.

Fortunately for my self-control, her mother interrupted before I did anything inappropriate in front of her.

-Cedric, it's so good to see you. We were just deciding on the dress Rhis will wear for the ceremony.

My smile widened as I looked back at Christine. -Oh, really? And how is that going? -I leaned close to her ear, whispering for her ears only, -Do you need any help putting them on... or taking them off?

Christine gave me a playful nudge, keeping up her usual flirtatious charm. -I might take you up on that offer... some other time.

She then pulled away, and I felt the warmth leave my skin. Still, I didn't push. I stayed there for the rest of the afternoon, watching her pose for me and imagining her reaction when I surprised her with a proposal ring.

It was going to be perfect. I had already arranged for live music to play soft, gentle melodies in the background. I would get down on one knee in front of her, holding a ring made with a pink diamond-Rhis's favorite color.

The only people who knew about this were her mother, Lilith, and my Beta, who had organized everything. I'd had to ask Lilith for help in choosing a dress fit for the occasion, as I knew the press would be eager to snap photos of the moment, and there was nothing Rhis loved more than shining in the spotlight.

Luckily for me, Christine seemed to listen when her mother guided her toward a beautiful, moon-white dress that perfectly complemented her hair.

Christine's Point of View

One day before the ceremony.

The week flew by. Cedric was busy the rest of the time- it seemed he was planning our engagement to the last detail. I didn't waste the opportunity to drop hints to the journalists, extracting a promise from them not to print anything until he actually proposed. After all, I didn't want to ruin his surprise.

My older brother, Luca, because of our parents' request, spent the week coaching me on how to behave during the ceremony.

-When the moment comes, you will kneel on the ground in front of the spring and offer your prayers regarding whatever you feel is right to ask for or give thanks for.

Luca was leaning against the desk in his office, sipping coffee. Despite all the pending paperwork, he always had time for me.

-...I have to kneel? -My face twisted in disgust, which only made Luca roll his eyes as he walked over to the couch where I was sitting, happily eating desserts.

-Yes, Rhis, and I promise you won't die from doing it. -He teased, affectionately ruffling my hair. -Now, go bother someone else, or come help me with this boring paperwork.

His words drew my attention to the stack of documents on the desk. -That looks like quite a lot... Aren't they demanding too much of you?

Luca let out a tired sigh. -It's necessary if I want to become a good leader. You know our pack is a pillar here. I need to know our lands and our people inside out, or else our enemies will eat us alive.

I gave him a playful nudge. -You're going to be a great Alpha, dummy.

That managed to coax a laugh out of him. -I hope so.

I headed toward the exit, pausing just before opening the door. -Are you going to the event tonight?

Luca laughed. -You're the only one who actually enjoys those places. My plans involve sleeping for more than eight hours, if the Goddess wills it.

I rolled my eyes. -You'll never meet your fated mate that way, Luca.

-Oh, right, and have you had any luck? -Luca asked mockingly, making me roll my eyes again.

-First of all, without the ceremony, it's impossible for me to feel my bond. And second, I don't care anyway. Cedric is about to propose to me. -I said proudly.

Luca nearly choked on the coffee he had just sipped, coughing as a smug grin spread across my face.

-Cedric is doing what? Damn, why did nobody tell me anything?

-Because nobody knows. I'm not even supposed to know, but the other day I decided to drop by his packhouse, and it turns out he was in his room practicing the speech he's going to give when he gets down on one knee. -I smiled.

Luca started laughing. -The fearsome Cedric Valkan practicing a speech? I don't buy it.

-Well, he's going to propose tonight or tomorrow. And when you see the ring, you'll know I wasn't lying. -I stuck my tongue out at him and left with mock offense to go get ready for my future engagement.

Christine's Point of View

I put on a fabulous dress. It was an emerald green that perfectly matched the color of my eyes, with drapes of white and sheer fabric cascading elegantly from different parts of it.

The maid styled my white hair into a neat bun, crafted to look effortless, though the reality was that every single strand had been placed in a very specific spot.

My parents were waiting in the foyer for the driver to pull up the car, so I decided to join them. They didn't miss the chance to shower me with compliments upon seeing how beautiful I looked, after all, I was stunning

When we arrived, the event staff wasted no time recognizing us and treating us with the respect of an Alpha family. I held my head high and swept forward with confidence, a sweet smile on my lips and that subtle hint of arrogance that followed me everywhere.

The crowd inside lost no time surrounding me, offering the praise and adoration that was meant to be mine from the beginning. Among them were my two close friends.

-Look at you, Rhis! You look like the Moon Goddess herself right now. -Bianca spoke in that high-pitched voice of hers that I always found rather grating.

-Oh, please. I just threw my hair up and grabbed a random dress from my closet. -I said, pretending I hadn't spent the last two hours getting ready. -I suppose it's just my natural beauty.

-Without a doubt. -Sarah replied with a fake smile.

The two women might have had their flaws, but their comments always made me feel good, and they always did exactly what I asked of them.

-By the way, Rhis, have you heard about the new pack that just moved here? -Bianca asked with a sly smile.

That definitely caught my attention and sparked my curiosity.

-Tell me.

-Well, I don't know much. -Bianca replied. -Only that they're a family of Alphas, supposedly from some unknown little town, and they want their daughter to perform the ritual here. But they haven't even shown their faces at any of the events. Don't you think that's rude?

I listened to her words thoughtfully. A family of Alphas... I would have to be careful. -Let's keep a close eye on them. If they aren't showing themselves, it's because they surely have something to hide.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, making me gasp. A low chuckle rumbled behind me, accompanied by that masculine Alpha scent I loved so much.

-Are you seriously laughing for scaring me? -I pouted, faking annoyance as a joke.

-Never, my Rhis. -Cedric kissed my cheek, sending a light shiver down my spine. I let out a soft giggle and lost no time pulling away from my friends to spend time with Cedric.

He led me to a secluded terrace, holding two glasses of champagne. "This is the moment" , I thought.

Cedric's Point of View

Seeing her in that dress, with that dazzling smile, made me completely lose my self-control. I closed the distance and wrapped my arms around her waist, and when she gasped in my embrace, my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't wait another day. It had to be tonight.

I brought her out to one of the terraces and handed her a glass, which she accepted with an enchanting smile.

I couldn't help but lose myself for a few moments just admiring her beauty, until I forced myself to get on with what I had come to do.

-Ahem... Rhis, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about... -I could feel how nervous I was. I didn't want to mess this up, and for the first time in my life, I felt the fear of rejection. Still, I gathered my courage. I began to move to get down on one knee when a loud crash echoed from inside the ballroom, instantly snapping both my attention and Christine's away.

Christine's Point of View

I knit my brows, mentally cursing the interruption. Just when Cedric was about to get down on his knee! Unfortunately, the noise didn't stop, and as much as I wanted to hold onto the romantic moment, I couldn't help but hear a familiar voice raising itself in anger. Sarah.

I ventured back into the ballroom and was met with a peculiar scene.

Cedric's Point of View

I silently cursed whoever had distracted Christine enough to make her walk back into the ballroom.

I followed closely behind her, intending to ask her to return to the terrace, to just forget about whatever noise was happening... But as my eyes shifted from Christine to the shouting crowd, I felt a strange sensation.

There was a group of people glaring down at a girl on the floor, who was drenched in what looked like wine. Before I could even process my own actions, I stepped forward and demanded in a tense voice: -What is going on here?

The girl looked up at me, and the feeling I had just experienced instantly tripled, flooding me with entirely new and overwhelming sensations. My inner wolf, Onyx, roared within me: "Mate!"

Everything fell silent. I could only see this girl, with her wide, blue eyes and straight black hair. She didn't break eye contact either, though her expression didn't seem quite as intense as mine.

Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder. The illusion shattered instantly, and I glared with fury at whoever had dared to interrupt that moment.

Christine's Point of View

Cedric brushed past me at blinding speed. I assumed he was angry about the interruption, but I didn't expect him to be this deeply affected.

-What is going on here? -Cedric's voice rang out with immense authority, and his Alpha aura flared violently all of a sudden.

Everyone fell silent, thoroughly intimidated by his Alpha´s aura pressure, so I decided to step closer to calm him down. But once I was near enough, I noticed exactly where his gaze was fixed.

My eyes drifted down to the girl on the floor. I had never seen her before, and her features didn't look like they were from around here. She was staring intently at my boyfriend, sparking a sudden wave of irritation and jealousy in my chest.

I placed my hand on Cedric's shoulder while staring down at the girl. She shifted her gaze to me, and Cedric did the same.

I looked back at Cedric. A fleeting flash of anger crossed his features before he registered who I was.

-Rhis... -His voice carried a slight trace of guilt. It was almost imperceptible, but I had known him since we were kids-better than anyone.

I didn't need any explanation. I let out a quiet breath and forced myself to smile. -Are you alright, honey? -I asked affectionately, making sure the unknown girl heard the affectionate nickname.

-Yes, yes. -he said quickly, regaining his confident posture. But I noticed his tells. His jaw was far too tense, and his green eyes kept darting back to the girl on the floor.

Bianca broke the awkward silence, rushing to speak up. -This girl stepped on my dress, Rhis! And then she pretended it was an accident! -She said in her grating, high-pitched tone.

The girl reacted, standing up to her feet. -It was an accident. -she said with a surprising amount of composure. -But if you don't believe me, you can ask your other friend, who was the one who pushed me.

Cedric tensed even further beside me, while Sarah's face flushed bright red.

-No I didn´t, I just asked you to move out of the way- Sarah took a step forward

-I told you to stop drinking so much, Sarah. -I intervened. -The excitement of the ceremony is no excuse to mistreat someone. Apologize to... what is your name?

-...Celine.

I felt Cedric hold his breath, visibly affected just by hearing her name. My smile wavered, but I forced myself to hold it. -Sarah, apologize to Celine.-Sarah was ready to fight back, but I gave her a harsh look silencing her

Sarah's eyes welled with tears, feeling humiliated, but she didn't argue with me. -I apologize for pushing you... accidentally.

It was a half-hearted apology, but it was the most sincere one anyone was ever going to get out of Sarah.

Celine stared at her for a few moments. For a second, I thought she wouldn't accept it and that a scene would break out, but she didn't.

-There is nothing to forgive. -Celine turned toward the exit, her dress completely ruined.

Before Celine could take a single step toward the door, a shadow brushed fast past my side. Cedric had taken off his suit jacket and placed it over Celine's shoulders. -It's cold out there.

Celine didn't reply. She looked at him for a brief moment and walked out.

That woman had just earned my hatred. How dear she try to seduce my man? I would make sure to ruin her and her family before I ever lost Cedric.

Yes. My eyes gleamed with determination. Cedric was mine. He belonged to me. No woman and no fated bond would ever stand in my way.